Hydrodynamics of Two-Phase Flow in Gas-Liquid Cylindrical Cyclone Separators

Abstract

Abstract This paper presents new experimental data and an improved mechanistic model for the Gas-Liquid Cylindrical Cyclone (GLCC) separator. The data were acquired utilizing a 3" ID laboratory-scale GLCC, and are presented along with a limited number of field data. The data include measurements of several parameters of the flow behavior and the operational envelope of the GLCC. The operational envelope defines the conditions for which there will be no liquid carry-over or gas carry-under. The developed model enables the prediction of the hydrodynamic flow behavior in the GLCC, including the operational envelope, equilibrium liquid level, vortex shape, velocity and holdup distributions and pressure drop across the GLCC. The predictions of the model are compared with the experimental data. These provide the state-of-the-art for the design of GLCC's for the industry.